I don’t know what I expected. I told him to get out and he did. He listened. I park in the driveway after the last-minute shift I picked up—my fifth shift of the week. He borrowed a truck from the ranch yesterday and took his to the shop. It’s not parked in the drive, and I try to push aside my thoughts of regret. I did what was best for him; I did what had to be done.
I unlock the door and go inside. The house is quiet, no sounds of Trey cooking, playing video games, or moving about the house. I wander through the kitchen and down the hallway until I come to his open bedroom door. The bed is perfectly made, his video game console is gone, and there is one dresser drawer left slightly ajar. I walk inside and pull it open. It’s empty. I open more drawers, the closet—all empty.
He’s gone.
I drop to the floor, leaning against the wall, looking around his empty room. He must have come and packed his things while I was at work. Guilt flows through my body. I can’t help but feel like I might have just fucked up the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
Chapter 34
Trey
Casper, Wyoming
Knox
I’ll be there in an hour. Check me in when you go to the office please.
Trey
You got it.
Itoss my gear bag behind the chutes and head for the secretary’s office to check in. Knox is on his way back from Estes Park. I was entered, but after Jessie and I—broke up? Can I even call it that?—after whatever happened between us,I turned my bull out. That trip was for Kacey’s birthday, and I didn’t want to ruin it or make anyone uncomfortable. I’m not sure I could handle seeing her, not after the way we left things. So here I am in Casper, Wyoming, waiting for Knox. I’ve been back to riding for a few days and haven’t ridden a single fucking bull.
My head is so messed up, and I’m not focusing on riding. I miss Jessie more than I thought was possible. I can’t count the number of times I’ve picked up my phone to call or text her, but I never do. I know I fucked up. I could see it in her eyes. Sheneededme to go. I broke her trust and asked for more than she was ready for. She all but begged, pleaded with me to leave her alone.
I’m not convinced she meant half of what she said, or that she truly wanted me to go, but something pushed her over the edge. Not something—Ipushed her over the edge. I pushed too hard; I never should’ve brought up giving our relationship a title or confronted her father. Then I could’ve left for rodeos and still been able to call her when I saw something that reminded me of her or send her those dirty texts that make her blush. I could’ve come home to her in the fall. Now there isn’t a single place on earth that feels like home.
I have nowhere to go home to. Sure, Kacey and Knox will tell me to stay at the ranch again, but I can’t do that. Jessie loves it there; I don’t want to be the reason she stays away from Diamond Hart. I need my own place. I need to build my own life. I was beginning to think maybe I’d build that life with Jessie.
Until I moved in with her, I never thought about a real relationship. It was never something I wanted with anyoneuntilher. Fuck, I miss her. So much.
I fell for her without even realizing it. I’ve never been in love or had my heart broken, but this constant ache in my chest—the urge to get in the truck and drive back to Colorado—that’s whatthis must be. A broken heart. I’ve broken bones, torn ligaments, been knocked out, and stomped on by bulls, but all that pain pales in comparison to losing her.
“Good to have you back.”
I look up to find Sterling Taylor leaning inside the door to the rodeo office. He’s one of the pickup men for the Burning T Rodeo company and happens to be one of the owners’ sons. Dave Taylor and his family have been putting on rodeos for damn near one hundred years.
“Sterling, good to see you.” I shake his hand on my way past.
The Burning T must have a new rodeo secretary this summer. Sitting at the desk is a pretty woman I’ve never seen before. Her heart-shaped face and strawberry blonde hair make her look like a real-life doll.
“Hello, checking in?” She beams up at me.
“Yes, ma’am. Trey Bennett, bull riding.”
She flips through her papers. “I haven’t seen you around. Is this your first rodeo?”
I smirk.Cute. “This and one more will be my second. Got any words of advice for me?”
She laughs and blushes, still smiling. “Oh, I wouldn’t know. I just do the paperwork.”
“What’s your name?”
“This is not your first rodeo. Hurry up, Bennett. There’s a line,” Sterling growls behind me.
I turn. One roper is talking to another outside—there’s no line. Sterling’s jaw is clenched and his eyes are shooting daggers at me.
Oh.
